The court opened an investigation after speaking with the family Tuesday, Juvenile Court Judge Joseph Monnin said, but the officer involved isn’t on leave at this time.
Police were called to take a report of the officer’s injuries and have issued a warrant for Temple on an assault charge.
According to the police report, probation officer Jordan Bean and two female court employees were driving on North Fountain Avenue about 1:30 p.m. Monday when they spotted a vehicle they knew to belong to Temple’s mother.
The police report says the 16-year-old had missed his check-in appointment last week.
Bean spoke with Temple and informed him he was under arrest for violating his probation, then began to place him in handcuffs, the report says. That’s when the boy reportedly attempted to pull away from the officer and bit him on the finger.
Bean reported that the boy began kicking at him and refused to get into the transport van.
The video given to the Springfield News-Sun appears to show Temple and the officer struggling near the van with the teen eventually being forcibly placed inside the vehicle.
At some point the teen’s lip began to bleed and he allegedly spat blood at the officer and into the van. He also allegedly kicked the officer in the side of the head, police said.
Bean’s injuries were treated at the Juvenile Detention Center.
The report doesn’t mention any injuries to the teen, but Monnin confirmed that Temple was transported to the hospital by detention staff members to be treated for what the judge called minor injuries.
His brother said those included injuries to his ribs and face.
“He was handcuffed and defenseless,” Seth Biles said of the altercation.
John Temple said his son won’t be released from custody before his next court appearance on Aug. 7. They’re working on getting the child a public defender.
John Temple described the video of the incident as “disgusting” and “unprofessional.” He believes something should be done about the probation officer’s conduct.
“You can’t put your hands on kids like that,” John Temple said. “I’m at a loss for words.”
Biles told the News-Sun his brother missed his meeting with his probation officer last week because he didn’t have transportation.
Monnin hadn’t seen the video on Tuesday and said he couldn’t comment on specific actions or allegations without further investigation.
“We need to gather more evidence,” he said. He wants to give all parties the chance to be heard.
In general, he said, juvenile probation officers are authorized by law to apprehend individuals who aren’t in compliance with their probation. Officers in some counties carry guns, but they don’t in Clark County.
Kaeleb Temple was arraigned Tuesday on his probation violation and remains in juvenile detention.
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